This New Life
by Diligo Decorus
Summary: The story follows four main characters, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Ron four years after the last book. As their lives intertwine, their friendships and romances grow stronger, but not without a couple bumps in the road.
1. Chapter 1

Ginny half-sat half-laid on the couch that was pushed to the wall of her small living area. Her arm rested on the arm of the sofa, which had an indent in that very spot where somebody before her had rested many years before her. Ginny had found the sofa at the estate sale of a woman now long deceased. The fabric was plain, pale blue, and worn, but it was well loved and kept up. The whole couch felt like home, and reminded her of where she grew up as a child. Now she lived far away from the Burrow of her childhood and family, but sitting in her couch always made Ginny nostalgic for her past home, and the cozy light of her old living room. Beside her was her favorite woolen blanket she had thrown off of her moments before, when she got too hot. She was flipping through an old book, worn around the edges with a thick leather cover. As she flipped a page, she stopped to smell the aroma of the old volume. It was smells like that smell that made her miss her days of schooling. Her old school had many books in it, especially old books like the one she was holding. In fact, the book she was holding was one that she had kept from her school days.

It was a Defense Against The Dark Arts book, and very old by the look of it. She had gotten that book at a second-hand bookstore long ago, and it had somehow lasted with her until now. She turned another page, and a piece of parchment slipped out of the pages and settled onto the ground, barely visible under the sofa. Ginny reached out to pick it up. She unfolded it gently as to not disturb any writing that might be on the page. It had been at least four years since she had opened this particular book, and could not imagine what the paper could possibly say. She opened it, and saw that it was mostly notes that she had taken in her Defense Against The Dark Arts class her last year in school. The page contained her handwritten notes about a spell that she had had particular trouble learning. As she skimmed over the notes she saw a small doodle at the bottom of the page. It was a heart, intricately drawn, with small swirls and sweeping curls around it. Inside the heart she had written her initials, and those of a school-mate's.

Her corners of her mouth turned upwards as she studied the doodle in the corner of her page. The thought of her school-days romance brought back a flurry of emotions, both heartbreaking and lovely. The other initials in the heart belonged to a boy, now she supposed he was a man, named Harry Potter. Ginny had known Harry for much of her life, and they had always been close friends. Years ago, they had dated, and fallen in love. Ginny folded the paper back up and stuffed it into the pocket of her jeans. Ginny had always loved denim. Something about the way they felt against her leg, not too soft, yet not too rough either, always attracted Ginny to them. She helped herself off of the couch with her arms and then stretched her back, letting her legs acclimate to moving again. Ginny then expertly maneuvered herself through the jam-packed closet she called her living room. On the floor was a large trunk, belonging to her husband, which she had tried to disguise with a glass flower vase and various shades of roses and daisies spilling out. There were stacks of books, much like the one Ginny was looking through, piled somewhat neatly on the floor. The walls, painted a very faint yellow, were covered in photos of Ginny and her husband's past. They moved, waved, and smiled at her as she passed them.

As she made her way out of the living area, she entered a small hallway and took the doorway to her left, where her bedroom was. She set her book down on small wooden nightstand and turned on the small lamp sitting on her nightstand also. She did so with a small tap from her wand, that she received from her other jeans pocket. Ginny was a witch, and her husband and her family were all witches and wizards. In fact, she had been a witch for her entire life. She had gone to an academy when she was young to study magic, just like almost all witches and wizards do. Ginny had gone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with her five brothers, and most of her good friends.

Ginny made her way back through the hallway and entered the living room once more, where she sat back down on the couch. She thought about watching the television, but nothing sounded good to watch. Instead, she looked out of a small window opposite to her that looked out on the city of London. Her small abode was an apartment right in the middle of London. Although it was small and cramped, it was close to the city, which was where Ginny enjoyed being. She gazed out the window and looked for familiar faces walking below the building. It was dark, about eight o'clock, and she couldn't make out any pedestrian's face. Even with the street lamps and the faint glow of the moon, the street below her was dark and obscured. It was mid-winter, and although it was only the middle of the evening, the moon was already risen and had taken its place in the sky. The lights on various buildings gave a glow to the street and sidewalks, on which many people and cars hurried past.

At last, she heard a key in the lock of her apartment door and quickly got up from the sofa. A man entered the room. He was medium height and thin, but not too thin. He had green eyes that shone even though the apartment was dimly lit. Ginny's legs moved quickly, and her face had a joyous smile on it. She took the man into her arms, tenderly, but with certain urgency as well. "Harry" she breathed deeply "you're back".


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm so glad you are back home" she whispered, hugging him tighter than before.

"Yeah, me too. I was worried about you…" said Harry, kissing her softly on the neck.

Ginny pulled back from his embrace, smiling softly. "You? Worried about me?" she laughed. "I never understood why. Here I am, sitting at home, alone practically all day, bored out of my mind while you are out fighting wizards and witches that are trying to cause disturbances… No, you are right. Its really me you should be worried about" She turned away from him, and she flipped her long hair over her face to cover her eyes.

"Ginny, it's what we agreed on. Its what is best for us as a family" Harry said, turning her back towards him.

"I know it's what we decided on, it's just hard for me. It's hard to adjust to a lifestyle that I never thought I would be living. Do you know how hard it is to watch you leave every morning to go fight wizards that I always thought I would be fighting? I thought we would be doing this together… together like at Hogwarts" She bowed her head. "I wish I could be out there fighting with you…".

"I wish you were out fighting with me too. Do you think I don't miss you every second you aren't there? We both know why you aren't there though. Its too dangerous, and I can't lose you!" Harry said.

"And I can afford to lose you?" Ginny exclaimed. "Do you think I could go on living without you if… if something happened to you?"

"Don't say that Ginny" He said.

"Don't say what Harry? Don't say that there's a chance that you could die? I'm just being realistic. You aren't safe Harry! You don't have some sort of power that will keep you safe forever! It's practically a miracle that you have survived as long as you did. After everything that you have been through, I don't understand why you can't just take a break for a while and let someone else do the fighting!"

"What is this about then? I thought this was about you being at home while I'm out being an auror. Are you telling me that you expect me to stay safe while you go out and fight without me?"

"Stop yelling Harry" Ginny whispered. "You know that's not what I meant. I don't know what I mean… Just forget it." She turned and started to walk towards the bedroom.

"Ginny. Ginny I love you. But I have to be an auror. I know that's why I was born a wizard, and that's why I was the Chosen One, that's why I defeated Voldemort, and that's why I married you. Because you accepted who I am, and you trusted me. You accepted that I would have to fight, and that I can't just give up what I love".

"I still accept who you are. I have always loved you for who you are… I guess this isn't about you. Its about me." Ginny reached out and took Harry's hand. "It's just hard to know that you are making a difference in the world and I still work at Flourish and Bott's. Do you know what that is like?" Ginny sighed.

"We agreed this was the best for our family Ginny! We are going to have children someday! I won't leave a child of mine without both his mother and his father! I had to go through that and I would never put someone else through that experience. That's why I have to work alone. You know that." Harry squeezed her hand. "Come on. Let's go to bed now, we can talk about this in the morning"

"I'm sorry for bringing this up Harry" Ginny resigned. "I don't know why I was so upset about this. I know me not being an auror is the best thing for our family". They walked together towards their bedroom.

Harry woke up in the morning feeling rested. The sun was shining through their small apartment window into his eyes, as it was rising into the sky. He carefully lifted his arm off of Ginny; she was still asleep. He loved the way she looked when she slept. It was so calm and peaceful. It was nice to see her relax, and not be strong and courageous all the time. He got himself out of bed, careful not to disturb Ginny. He then pulled the cover over their small window so the sun would not disturb her.

It was a Sunday morning, which was his favorite day of the week. Neither Harry nor Ginny were required to work on Sundays, so they spent the day together, and with their friends. They often spent the day visiting old friends that they knew from Hogwarts, or from the Order of the Phoenix. Today though, they planned to visit with Ron and Hermione, two of their best friends from Hogwarts. In fact, Ron and Ginny were brother and sister.

Ron and Hermione had a non-conventional relationship. They had been dating on and off for about five years. They got into fights quite often, but they always seemed to get back together, no matter how large the fight was. That was one thing that Harry loved about Ron and Hermione; they always ended up together, no matter what happened. Compared to Ron and Hermione, Harry and Ginny's relationship had been pretty smooth.

Harry walked into their small kitchen and turned on the light. He heard a tap at their kitchen window, and rushed to open it. "Ruddy… owl… know better that to come… window… middle of the day… right in London…" He muttered angrily at Hedwig, his pet owl, as she hopped delicately onto the kitchen counter and ruffled her feathers. Harry stuck his head outside of the window and looked around. He didn't see anyone around, and considered himself lucky. He quickly shut the window and pulled the blind over it. "Come on Hedwig, you know better than to come knocking at the window in the middle of the day… What you have better be important" He scolded her. Hedwig pecked him on the hand, and Harry pet the feathers on her head.

Just then Ginny stumbled out of the bedroom, her hair askew and her eyes squinting. "Did she come in through the kitchen window again?" She asked, glaring at Hedwig who sat innocently on the kitchen counter picking at the feathers under her wing. "And you know I don't like her sitting on the kitchen counter!"

Harry quickly grabbed Hedwig and set her in over by her cage. He then returned to the kitchen and hugged Ginny from behind. He put his chin on top of her head. "Good morning" he murmured, squeezing her a bit tighter. He kissed her on the shoulder, and worked his way, slowly up to her jawbone, leaving a trail of light kisses behind him.

Ginny made a soft noise. "Don't go getting any ideas now Harry… I just woke up, and you know I'm not a morning person."

"I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about" Said Harry, continuing to kiss Ginny's face and neck. "Isn't a man allowed to kiss his wife?"

Ginny smiled, against her better judgment. "Something tells me you are not just looking for kisses, but what do I know?"

"Hmm" Harry said, "I haven't the slightest idea what you mean!" And at that, he put his arm under the backs of Ginny's knees and scooped her up before she could protest.

"Harry!" she squealed "Its seven in the morning! Besides, we have to call Hermione and Ron, remember?" She struggled half-heartedly against his grip.

"We have plenty of time, trust me" Harry said, walking swiftly back towards the bedroom. "Plenty of time for everything" He shut the door swiftly behind them.


End file.
